Monday, 1 August 2011

Gold etc etc etc - Safe Havens for Troubled Times

The FTA has solicited views on what might be a safe haven for such assets as you have left. Sitting back and watching gold contemptuously dismiss the American 'compromise', as a service to our readers here's a summary of the answers, clustered for ease of review. Never say we don't look after you.

Philosophical

- just about any asset not US based will do - the safest thing in the entire world is surely a bouncy castle (nice one, Izzy !) - education/schools in developing nations - family - invest in human capital: invest in your children - secure white-collar private sector employment with annual pay rises that outpace inflation - the most effective flight to safety is the one picked as consensus Financials

Budgie, I think Cammeron, Osborne et al are are gaining the some of the previous shower's characteristics, the number of u-turns would suggest that they have not thought out the consequences before acting, they are starting to dig the already very deep hole, even deeper, they are starting to believe their own spin. The man in the street knows what is going wrong as it affects him , as do businesses, it is even starting to dawn on councils, but because they are stuck a in an ivory tower for long periods they tend to lose touch with reality, Much of the HoC is stuffed with theoreticians, very little time in the "real" world, in as much it is alright in a class room but out in the practical world theory does not always work out in practice.